Taxpayers have funded much of the cost of major pro sports stadiums in Indianapolis, such as the Hoosier Dome, Lucas Oil Stadium and Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Some critics wonder how long that can go on.
Dwight Adams, dwight.adams@indystar.com

Carmel has filed an injunction request with Hamilton Superior Court to prevent any more large parties at the Lucas estate and its party barn. The city says the Lucases are operating a business on the property.

The filing Thursday comes after two years of complaints from neighboring property owners and a 2017 city ruling that banned parties at the 33-acre estate owned by oil tycoon Forrest Lucas, according to a news release by the city. The city says the Lucases are violating noise and zoning ordinances.

"At this point, the City of Carmel believes that the Lucases have not shown a good faith effort to comply and therefore, the city is taking this action," a news release from the city said.

"While the Lucases claim that they are only making this venue available to close friends and business clients, it does not appear that this is the truth as advertisements for the space have appeared in wedding guides. It is also listed on Facebook and a website as the location for a concert series."

The "Diamonds and Denim Western Wingding" which raises money for Primelife Enrichment in Carmel, was held at the Robert Irsay Pavilion in 2010. The venue is now part of Lucas Estate.(Photo: Zach Dobson, Zach Dobson)

An attorney representing the Lucases disagreed with the city's characterization of the situation.

"The Lucas Estate has never been for rent, nor have the Lucases ever charged for the use of their facilities," a written statement from Timothy Ochs of the Ice Miller law firm said. "The Lucas Estate does not now, nor has it ever, advertised itself as a wedding, concert or event venue. The Lucases only allow their home to be used for charities, fundraisers, or other activities that they invite or select."

In the statement, Ochs also said the Lucases have never been cited for a violation of any zoning ordinance. Two minor noise ordinance violations were cited against other people on the property, "but those are being challenged," he said.

The city in its filing said that from May 11 to Oct. 6 of last year Carmel police were dispatched to the property no less than 18 times in response to noise complaints.

A party barn at the estate was a popular venue for social events in Carmel since Nancy Irsay, the second wife of Indianapolis Colts owner Robert Irsay, opened it more than 30 years ago. She helped raise more than $3 million annually for charities while hosting the likes of Tony Bennett, John Grisham, John Mellencamp, Kelsey Grammer, Kurt Vonnegut and Peyton Manning.

In 2016, Lucas bought the property as an extension of his neighboring estate, intending to carry on what Irsay started. Most events draw 200 to 400 people, but the property can accommodate up to 700.

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Although several events that have been hosted at the estate are charities, the city in its filing argues that the Lucases are making a profit from catering services at the estate, in effect running a business in a residential area.

The court filing also says Lucas made alterations to the property without obtaining required permit approvals from the city.

The alterations consist of several buildings, a large parking area, the installation of an 8,500-square-foot plaza, the conversion of tennis courts into a concrete staging area for a 3,500-square-foot tent, and a building with commercial kitchens. The filing says a road was built on the estate to provide access from Ditch Road to the 150-space parking lot.

In the Thursday news release, Carmel officials said they have tried to work with the Lucases over the years to resolve the issue.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said the city filed the request now after no progress was made between the two parties in the past two years.

He also said that during the winter, many events were held inside and the noise was down. But he doesn't believe it will stay quiet.

"Summer is starting and a lot of those events are going to be outside again," Brainard said. "We don't want the same thing happening again. And we were not making any progress before, so we just had to take this to court."

He said neighbors want the city to enforce city ordinances.

"What (Lucas) is doing is just not fair to the neighbors," Brainard said. "The noise and the traffic all of that has created is not what neighbors in that area bought into. You don't get to ignore the law because you are prominent and important."

Ochs said the Lucases are not looking for special treatment.

"They have repeatedly said that we are willing to abide by the same rules as everybody else," his statement said. "We also repeatedly said that we want to be a good neighbor."